Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines music, dance, and spoken dialogue. It is usually accompanied by an orchestra or a band, and the performers are typically trained in both singing and dancing. Musical theatre has been around for centuries, and its popularity continues to grow today. The key characteristics of musical theatre include the use of music and song to tell a story, the integration of different art forms such as dancing, singing, and acting, and the use of spectacle to create an immersive experience for the audience.
Music: Music is a key component of musical theatre. The songs provide a narrative structure to the show as well as helping to set the mood and create emotional moments throughout. Different types of music can be used in musical theatre including popular music, jazz, classical music, folk songs, musical revues (a type of musical-comedy performance), and original scores written specifically for the show.
Dance: Dance plays an important role in musical theatre performances.
The choreography helps to bring scenes alive as well as providing another layer of storytelling for the audience. Dance styles vary from ballet to tap dance to contemporary dance depending on the show and its needs. In many shows there will be one or two professional dancers who specialize in different dance styles and who can help create unique pieces for each show.
Acting: Acting is also necessary in order to bring characters alive on stage. Actors must be able to portray different emotions through their body language as well as through their words. They must also interact with other characters on stage in a believable manner so that it appears natural to audiences.
Spectacle: Spectacle is an important part of any live performance but particularly so when it comes to musical theatre productions. Sets may be grand or simple depending on what is needed for each scene but they should always be visually interesting as they help create atmosphere within a production which can draw audiences in further.
Conclusion:
The key characteristics of musical theatre include using music and song to tell stories; integrating dance, singing, and acting; and creating spectacle with sets that draw audiences further into the story being told.